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Manaslu 2013: Final Trip Report

 5 Responses »
Oct 072013
 
Manaslu 2013: Final Trip Report

Part of every big climb is to document it with a complete trip report, pictures, frequently asked questions and perhaps a video. All this is now complete and posted on my main site. These are the links: Manaslu 2013 Trip Report and Video Picture Gallery Frequently Asked Questions Expedition Dispatches If I were to summarize my experience, I would have to say it was one of the more satisfying expeditions I have undertaken. I felt very well prepared as a result of my training but also felt I was able to apply my previous 8000m experiences in a way that continue reading

Manaslu 2013: Summit Report

 53 Responses »
Sep 282013
 
Manaslu 2013: Summit Report

Thanks to everyone for following my climb of the world’s 8th highest peak, healing Manaslu at 26, thumb 759 feet or 8156 meters. I summited the true summit at 9:40AM on September 25, 2013 after leaving the high Camp at 3:10AM. The time included waiting for almost 1:30 minutes for the final rope to be fixed to the true summit. The true summit of Manaslu is the absolute scariest spot I have ever climbed. It consisted of a narrow cornice with soft edges that dropped off over 3,000 feet. As I made my final steps to the true summit, my continue reading

Manaslu 2013 – Leaving for the Summit

 6 Responses »
Sep 212013
 
Manaslu 2013 - Leaving for the Summit

Weather is often the most unpredictable part of an 8000m expedition other than health. You can control some factors around health but for weather, well not so much. We went to sleep on Thursday night to a light rain that developed into a full on storm throughout the night. Many times I awoke to a heavy onslaught of rain on my tent walls as I was lying there wondering what was happening high above us on Manaslu. On Friday morning, the answer became clear. It snowed about a foot at Camp 1 and twice that much at Camp 2. A continue reading

Manaslu 2013 – Dramatic Changes

 11 Responses »
Sep 182013
 
Manaslu 2013 - Dramatic Changes

The thin white nylon rope snaked straight up, the footpath went directly ahead rounding an icy corner before gaining elevation. I looked around for guidance on the route to Camp 2 on Manaslu but found myself alone; no teammates, Sherpas, guides from other teams – no one around. I was alone and needed to continue climbing this 8th highest peak on Earth. Manaslu is a different mountain in 2013. The low snowfall has left the previous route fraught with crevasses. The fixed line from last year is drawn tight a hundred feet in the air with aluminum pickets swinging in continue reading

Manaslu 2013 – Camp 1 Success

 11 Responses »
Sep 122013
 
Manaslu 2013 - Camp 1 Success

The first test of a Himalayan expedition is the climb to Camp 1. This is when you know if you trained hard enough, you are taking care of yourself and what the mountain is saying. Our climb to tag Camp 1 was successful on all counts. Everyone did well. I was pleased with my own performance and felt that my endless summer of climbing Colorado 14, cheap 000 foot mountains was a good investment. We left Base Camp around 6:45 AM on September 11. The route was obvious as other teams and Sherpas had already been to Camp 1 and continue reading

Manaslu 2013 – Base Camp Life

 9 Responses »
Sep 112013
 
Manaslu 2013 - Base Camp Life

Base Camp for any long expedition becomes home away from home. You establish walking routes between tents, viewing positions of the high mountain, and meeting spots with other teams. Your tent becomes your private re, and the dining tent is the common area. We arrived on Saturday and have spent the last couple of days getting settled. We had our Puja today, September 10, and will go for a short day climb to Camp 1 on the 11th. I am quite pleased with our excellent Altitude Junkies Base Camp. Sitting on the rock moraine of a receding glacier, we have continue reading

Manaslu 2013 – Trekking Through Time

 16 Responses »
Sep 072013
 
Manaslu 2013 - Trekking Through Time

After 10 days of trekking and travel we have arrived at Manaslu Base Camp on Saturday, September 7, 2013. The team is doing well and everyone is in good health and spirits. The trek can be described as I’m glad I did it but wouldn’t do it again in the monsoon season. I can only imagine how spectacular it is in November without the rain and low clouds. So let’s get this out of the way. The drive out of Kathmandu was slow and tedious with a lot of road construction and it got significantly worse as we transferred to continue reading

Manaslu 2013 – A Morning with a Legend

 16 Responses »
Aug 282013
 
Manaslu 2013 - A Morning with a Legend

Precisely at 9:30, the baby blue VW Beetle pulled into the hotel parking lot. The driver quickly came around to open the passenger door. He gently cradled her elbow as she first put her walking stick out of the car then slid herself out. Standing up with the authority of someone who belongs, Ms. Elizabeth Hawley had arrived. Before I go on, if you do not know Ms. Hawley, she is, how do I put this? She is a living legend in the world of Himalayan mountaineering. Born in the US, she came to Kathmandu as a reporter for Time continue reading

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